BASF, the world’s leading chemical company, today celebrated its entry into the Australian crop protection market. A launch event featuring partners, farmers and BASF executives highlighted the importance of Australia as a key contributor to global agriculture and BASF’s plans for future growth in the region.

“As a major agricultural producer and exporter, Australia is one of the most important agriculture markets in the world,” said Markus Heldt, President of BASF’s Crop Protection division. “Our strategy is to develop solutions for sustainable farming together with customers, which for Australia means retail partners and farmers. We believe we can best achieve this when we work directly with our partners in local markets.”

Within the next ten years, the company expects to bring more than ten different active ingredients to the market in Australia. In addition to BASF’s current portfolio of fungicides, herbicides and insecticides, Australian farmers will also gain access to solutions for yield efficiency, water management and improved crop quality.

“We are making a significant investment in the agricultural business in Australia with a specialized team on the ground dedicated to tailored R&D and customized solutions for our partners and farmers,” stated Tony Moskal, Head of Agriculture, BASF Australia and New Zealand. “We are absolutely committed to ensuring that our customers will continue to have access to a superior and broad portfolio of products.”

Solutions in the company’s current portfolio for the Australian market include innovative fungicide products which offer excellent disease control and also lead to improved yield, stress tolerance and crop quality. For tough-to-control weeds, BASF’s solutions include the innovative Clearfield® Plus production system for wheat crops as well as Sharpen® herbicide for broadleaf weed control. 

The recently-established global unit, Functional Crop Care, will also make solutions available to Australian farmers. The unit’s portfolio includes conventional and biological seed solutions, products for better nutrient and water management, as well as technologies to increase plant health and vitality.

“We will also invest in additional product development and service initiatives. These include a dense network of localized trials as well as a dedicated expert field team and a BASF AgSolution farm to support that commitment,” said Moskal. The AgSolution farm will be located in the northeastern part of New South Wales and will showcase real-world applications of the company’s products to farmers and retailers. Furthermore, BASF will establish an expert field team to provide training and tailored product development for farmers and retailers. The field team will consult on all aspects of crop development and facilitate the exchange of experience and information among retailers, farmers and industry experts.

In addition to its solutions for agriculture, BASF will provide solutions for urban pest control, including Termidor® termiticide as well as innovative products for resource efficiency and effective insect control.

“We see great opportunities for Australia’s dynamic farm sector and want to help farmers become more successful in their operations. That is why we are excited to step into the Australian market, to work with farmers and key retailers on their every-day needs and to deliver innovative solutions both in and beyond crop protection,” said Heldt. BASF’s direct market activities for Australian agriculture will officially start on March 1, 2014.